Desires of a Deceiver is a well written novel that has the feel of the wild west, and introduces the reader to the main characters of Iliamna and Shreve. The antagonist in the story is a character called Alana who is not blessed with looks or grace, and has a voice that sounds like nails scraping down a blackboard. Jealous of her cousin Iliamna’s beauty she concocts a hideous plan to get rid of her cousin and ruin her life. Once out of her cousin’s shadow she continues with her ‘catfish’ plan to secure her future by marrying Shreve. But things don’t go to plan. Iliamna has her world turned upside and as a result of Alana’s actions has to adapt quickly to the circumstances she has been thrust in and find a way to escape. Shreve is caught in the middle and must make a choice about his future, now caught up between the two women and their apparent deception.
This is a fantastic plot which entices the reader in and keeps them hooked from beginning to end. I did in fact read this in one sitting. The plot moves at a good pace with plenty of twists and turns, drama and romance. Some scenes in the story reminded me of the film ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,’ and had a similar charm. Iliamna is a strong and resilient character and it is very easy to connect with her. Shreve is a great male lead and with his strength and a deadly gun hand, he’s one many could fall for. I have to say that I really love Alana’s character. She is so despicable and yet there are moments where you cannot help but feel sorry for her and hope she can at some point redeem herself and find her own happy ever after. There are a couple of very minor editing issues which the Author is aware of and is addressing but in no way do they distract from the sheer enjoyment of the story. With great character development, credible dialogue, there is much to entertain the reader, and I do recommend for fans of this genre.
I award 5 stars.
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